Leveling machine



Aug. 19, 1930. DAVENPORT 1,773,261

LEVELING MACHINE Filed Oct. 17, '1928 //v vE/v TEAL Patented Aug. 19, 1930' UNITED STATES PATENT" o FIcE ERMAN A. DAVENPORT, or nuooxron, MASSACHUSETTS, nssmnon 'ro unI'rED s HoE MACHINERY CORPORATION, or PATERSON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY LEVELING MACHINE Application filed October 17, 1928. Serial No. 313,155.

This invention relates to machines for applying shaping or leveling pressure to the bottoms of shoes.- In leveling machines of a well-known type a roll is thus used to apply the pressure, usually for thepurpose of shaping the outsole of the shoe, but sometimes also to prepare the bottom of the shoe to receive the outsole. In some of its aspects the invention is of more particular utility as applied to machines of the roll type, and it is accordingly so illustrated herein, but it is to be understood that it is not thus limited in its applicability.

In machines of the above-mentioned type itis sometimes the practice to interpose between the leveling roll and a portion, at least, of the bottom of the shoe a saddle of flexible material, such as leather, to transmit the pressure of the roll to the shoe, as shown, for example, in United States Letters Patent No. 1,263,361, granted on April 23, 1918 upon an application of W. C. Baxter. In such an organization the ends of the saddle at the opposite sides of the shoe are connected to a lever whereby the saddle is drawn tightly over the bottom of the shoe, the connections being such that the saddle may be moved at will between an idle position beyond the rear end of the shoe and an operative position over the bottom of the shoe. An

object of the present invention is to provide improved saddle-controlling mechanism such as to facilitate movement of the saddle from its idle position into operative relation to each shoe. For the purpose in view the construction shown comprises means for maintaining the opposite end portions of the sad dle in such relation to each other and to the shoe that when the saddle is in its idle position it has substantially the shape of an arch located in the same general relation to the shoe widthwise of the latter as when the saddle is positioned over the bottom of the shoe,

thus permitting the saddle to be readily moved into position over the shoe simply by of the saddle adjacent thereto against any substantial tipping movement laterally of the shoe, the plates, as shown, and consequently the end portions of the saddle, being thus maintained in substantially parallel'relation to each other in predetermined planes extend ing heightwise and lengthwise of theshoe in the idle position of the saddle and in its movement to operative position. The flexible saddle may thus'be much more quickly and easily manipulated than. if it were free to assume various shapes and positions when offtheshoefa I The invention further provides improved means for effecting an adjustment. to compensate for stretch of a; saddle in use. For the purpose in View, each-of'the above-mentioned'metal plates in the construction shown is providedwith a plurality of holes at different distances respectively from the extremeend of the saddle, and the saddle-controlling means connected to each plate comprises'members arranged to overlap the plate on its opposite sides respectively to control the plate in the manner above described and provided with a pin adapted to enter any one of theholes in the plate.

The novel features of the invention will now be more particularly described by reference to the accompanying drawings and thereafter pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings,

Fig.1 is a view in side elevation of a portion of a leveling machine including saddlecontrolling means constructed in accordance with the present invention and showing the saddle-in operative position over the bottom of a shoe;

Fig, 2 shows a'portion of the structure illustrated in Fig. 1, with the saddle in its idle, position at the rear of the heel end of the shoe; and

Fig. 3 is a View, partlyin elevation and partly in section, illustrating in greater detail the construction of the saddle-controlling mechanism. 7

The leveling machine to which the invention is herein shown as applied is a machine of a well-known type characteristic features of which are shown and described in various 3 anet. .w a a 6.

w dlin en a shoe-su porting w a atoe' rest lfi-and a lieel post 12, the latter having pivotally mounted thereon a tipping block 14 provided with a pin 16 ads. ted to enter the s hole of the last. he jack, as a whoie, is mounted for s gipgtng ements in irections lengthiswi he-.. he t-t wa rock and saph movements are imparted to awk by power-operated showman detail. In this x r.v shoe, is. carried forwardly and rgearwardl lunderfa leveling roll '20 support- 'vpna r9 carrier 22 mounted on a holder 23 w movable in ayertical plane to carry the roll into sitioh to rate on the shoe o it'. rom the-s oe. Initially the partner 22 isheld in upraised position,

asil ustrated in Fig. 1, by mechanism not epmygin detail big-disclosed in the abovefl sesame. is seems-1 6675 F "1WD there ,carrier downwardly to carry i gtqp ra tive sition in automatical 1y, ,terin ne timer ation to the movements 0, ejack, and for eontrolling the pressure seen the roll on the shoe in the course of the lerelin operatiomthere is provided a cam wheel 2 having on itsperip ery a plurality of ca "arranged to act through a lever 26, a link and, alever u on a plunger 32 ear W Y- t l s d nw d rou a spring 3 4 upon a lever 36 conne by a linlrBS to the holder 23 u on whiclr the roll carrier 22 is mounted. or further information with reference to the u detailsof the construetiomthusfar described, reference may be madetothe Letters Pat ent hereinbefore mentioned.

w,Eor, transmitting the pressure of the roll 20,;to the bottom of the shoe in machines of g.. the illustrated, it has been the pracreguently to use a saddle 42 of flexible tg: Ta such as leathegsucha saddle usually coverin only the heel-seat and shank portionso the bottom, of the shoe, as herein ueshown, butsometimes also being extended to 00v ;the.,,8ntire bottom of, the shoe. The sad is is of such length laterally of the shoe thatits, posits end portions extend height- Wige 0f eshoe atgthe opposite sides of the Mshbtfig qndithe saddle is applied tightly across the bottom of the shoe through connections between-its opposite ends and ahand lever 44-, in the same general manner as illustrated in Letters Patent No. 1,263,361 hereinbefore mentioned. thamtmction shown the movement acts hand lever 44 is arranged to control alternatively either the saddle 42 or the tipping block 14 in accordance with the disclosure of Letters Patent No. 1,719,158 ranted on July 2, 1929 upon an application 0 E. E. Winkley and myself.

The handlever 44 is forked so that portions thereof are positioned at opposite sides of the heel post 12 of the jack, as illustrated in the above-mentioned Letters Patent No. 1,263,361, and connected to eachof the opposite side portions of the lever by means of a pivot stud 46 (Fig. 3) is an L-shaped member 48 provided on its upper end with a stud 50 threaded to connect" it to the lower end of a spring 52, the upper end of this spring being connected to another threaded stud 54 formed on the lower end of a block 56. For purposes of this invention the connections between each of the blocks 56 and the corresponding end of the saddle 42 comprise bars 58 and 60 the lower ends of which are secured to the block 56 by means of a bolt 62 and a nut 64 while their upper ends are in spaced relation such as to permit them to overlap the opposite sides respectively of a plate 66 which is secured at its four corners a ainst the outer face of the end portion of t e flexible saddle 42 by means of rivets 67. It will thus be seen that the plate 66 is so connected to the saddle as to permit the bar 60 to be-inserted between the saddle and the-plate in the manner illustrated in Fig. 3. For connecting the bars 58 and 60 to the plate 66 the bar 58 has fast thereon a pin 68 adapted to extend through a hole 70 in the late 66 and into a corresponding hole inthe ar 60. In the construction shown each late 66 has therein a plurality of such holes 70 located respectively at different distances from the extreme end of the saddle,so that as the saddle stretches in use the pin 68 may be inserted in different holes to compensate for the stretch, thus permittin the hand lever 44 to be positioned initial y at the proper height to render it effective to apply the saddle to the shoe with the force required. It will be understood that in making such an adjustment it is only necessary to remove the nut 64 and the bar 58, and, after bringin the hole in the bar 60 into alignment with t e proper hole 70 in the plate 66, to replace the bar 58 with its in 68 extending into these aligning holes'an then secure it n position by the nut.

The pivotal connections 46 between the members 48 and the opposite side portions of the forked hand lever 44 permit the saddle 42 to. be swung either to an idle position at the rear of the heel end of the shoe, as illustrated in Fig. 2,. or to an operative position overthe bottomof'the shoe, as illustrated in Fig. 1. In such swinging movements of the saddle the springs 52 are sufficiently stiff to remain straight and thus to swing in definite planes extending heightwise of the shoe.

Furthermore, the connections. provided between these springs and'the ends of the saddle, comprising the bars 58 and 60 and the plates 66 connected thereto, are such as to hold the plates and the adjacent end portions of the saddle at all times against any substan tial tipping movement laterally of the shoe, the'plates and the ends ofthe saddle thus being maintained, in the idle position of the saddle and in its movement to operative position, in substantially parallel relation to each other in .predetermined planes extending heightwise and lengthwise of the shoe and at a distance apart at least as great as the width of the heel end of the shoe. When the saddle is in its idle position beyond the rearend of the shoe, as shown in Fig. 2, it is accordingly maintained substantially in the shape of an arch located in the same general relation tothe shoe widthwise of the latter as when the saddle is in operative position over the shoe. 'lhesaddlemay therefore be readily moved into position over the shoe simply by swinging it forwardly.

After the saddle has been swung forwardly over the shoe it is applied tightly to the shoe by depression of the hand lever 44 whichacts yieldingly through its connections to the ends of the saddle. As the saddle is thus applied the plates 66are permitted to turn about the axes of the pins 68 to facilitate the proper conformation of the saddle to the shoe.

Having described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a shoe support, a leveling tool, and a flexible saddle for transmitting the pressure of said tool to the bottom of a shoe on said support, of saddle-controlling mechanism movable to permit the saddle to be carried from an idle position beyond an end of the shoe to an operative position over the bottom of the shoe, said controlling mechanism being constructed to maintain the saddle when in its idle position substantially in the shape of an arch located in substantially the same relation to the shoe widthwise of the latter as when the saddle is positioned over the bottom of the shoe.

2. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a shoe support, a leveling tool, and a flexible saddle for transmitting the pressure of said tool to the bottom of a shoe on said support, of saddle-controlling mechanism comprising devices connected to the opposite end portions of the saddle at the sides of the shoe and so constructed as to hold said end portions of the saddle at all times against any substantial tipping movement laterally of the shoe While permitting movement of the saddle from an idle position beyond an end of the shoe to an operative position over the bottom of the shoe.

8. In a machine of the class described, the

combination with a shoe support, a leveling tool, and a flexible saddle for transmitting the pressure of said tool to the bottom of a shoe onsaid support, of saddle-controlling mechanism connected to the end portions of he saddle at the opposite sides of the shoe and supporting the saddle for swinging movement from an idle position at the rear of the shoe to an operative position over the bottom of the shoe, said controlling mechanism being so constructed as to maintain the end portions of the saddle in substantially parallel relation to each other and at a dis tance apart at least as great as the width of the heel end of the shoe in the movement of the saddle between said different positions.

. 4, In a machine of the class described, the combination with a shoe support, a leveling tool, and a flexible saddle for transmitting the pressure of said tool to the bottom of a shoe on said support, of saddle-controlling mechanism connected to the end portions of thesaddle at the opposite sides of the shoe and so constructed as to permit movement of the saddle from an idle position at the rear'o'i the shoe to an operative position over the bottom of the shoe, said controlling mechanism comprising metal plates secured to the end port ons of the saddle and devices for preventing any substantial tipping move-- ment of said plates, laterally of the shoe 1n the movement of the saddle between said difterent positions. e

5. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a shoe support, a leveling tool, and a flexible saddlefor transmitting the pressure of said tool to the bottom of a shoe on said support, of saddle-controlling mechanism connectedto the, end portions of the saddle at the opposite sides of the shoe and so constructed as to permit swinging movement of the saddle from an idle position at the rear of the shoe to an operative position over the bottom of the shoe, said controlling mechanism comprising metal plates secured to the opposite end portions of the saddle and devices for maintaining said plates in substantially parallel relation to each other in predetermined planes extending heightwise and lengthwise of the shoe in the idle position of the saddle and in its movement to operative position.

6. In a machine of the class described, th combination with a shoe support, a leveling tool, and a flexible saddle for transmitting the pressure of said tool to'the bottom of a shoeon. said support, of saddle-controlling mechanism connected to the endportions of the saddle at the opposite sides of the shoe,

said controlling mechanism comprising metal plates secured to the outer faces of the end portions of the saddle and members mounted for swinging movements to carry the saddle lengthwise of the shoe and so connected to said platesas to preventany substantial tipmovement of theplates laterally of the 'hIma-machine oithe class described, the ooltihiil'tition With'a'shoe support, a leveling toelgwiia flekiblesaddle for transmitting the preeeuieof said tool tothe bottom of ashoe on said support od 'saddle-controlling mechamsmconnec to the end portions of the saddle at the opposite-sides of the shoe, said m controlling mechanism comprising members or swinging movements to permit the fiddle to be carried from an idle position at the"; rear of the'shoeto an operative positien overth'e bottom oithe shoe, metal plates to the end portions of'the saddle, and pivotal connections between said members mitigates arranged topermit turning move- 111 *oftheplates relatively to said members Ebblit dikes extendlng laterally of the shoe are While preventing any substantial tipping mevemeneoftheplates laterally of the shoe.

82 1!! a-machine of the'class described, the combination with a shoe support, a leveling a flexiblehaddle for transmitting thwpreselrre ofsaid tool to the bottom of a shtie en said support;- of saddle-controlling mechanism conhected to the end portions of the saddle atthe opposite sides of the shoe afid filtwable'to ent'the saddle either in so: anti'dlepositionl yondan end of the shoe orinan operative sition over the bottom ofthdishoe said'coh rollihgmechanism comprising metal plates secured to the end porti des iii the saddle and members constructed an weasel. operative connections with said plates adjustahly at different points on the plates-"wivhileprevehting any substantial tippingmovement ofthe plates laterally of the Shdbl-Ilhll positions of the saddle.

93in amachine ofthe class described, the combination with a shoe support, a leveling tool, anda flexible saddle for transmitting the piessure etsaid tool tothe bottom of a shoe orfflsaid'fsuPport, of saddle-controlling mechanism connected to theend portions of the saildleat the opposite sides of the shoe for ptilli the saddle tightly against the bottom the shoe, saidmechanism comprising plttes secured to the opposite ends of the saddie; members arran d to overlap each platoon its opposite 'si es respectively, and means for connecting said members to the plates-in different ad usted relations.

1'0. Iii a machine of the class described, the

chihhintftion with a shoe support, a leveling and a flexible saddle for transmitting the of said tool tothe bottom of a shoe ohsaidsupport, of saddle-controlling mechconnected to the end portions of the saddle at the'o' .p oSite; sides of the shoe for the sad e tightly against the bottom of shoe, said mechanism comprising secured to the opposite ends of the fllv each having a plurality of holes therein, members 'arran' ed to overlap each plate on its opposite si esre'spectively, and a pin for connecting each plate adjustably to the members associated therewith by one or another of said holes selectively.

11. In a machineof the class described, the combination with a shoe support, a leveling tool, and a flexible saddle for transmitting the pressure of said tool to the bottom'of a shoe on said support, of saddle-controlling mechanism connected to the end portions of the saddle at the opposite sides of the shoe for pulling the saddle tightly, against the bottom of the shoe, said mechanism comprising plates secured to the opposite ends of the saddle and each having a plurality of holes therein, and members arranged to overlap each plate on its opposite sides respectively, one of the members associated with each plate extending between the plate and the portion of the saddle adjacent to the plate and having a hole therein adapted toregister with any one of the holes in the plate, and the other member having a pin secured thereto and adapted to extend through any one of the holes in the plate and into the hole in the firstnametl member.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

HERMAN A. DAVENPORT. 

